F. Scott Fitzgerald

“No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.”

Widely regarded as one of the greatest American authors of the 20th century, F. Scott Fitzgerald is often associated with his tale of wealth and the elite, The Great Gatsby. Though initially a commercial failure upon release, the story has been dubbed the “Great American Novel” by some literary critics. Fitzgerald’s story provided a critique of social class and the American Dream during the Prohibition era jazz age and introduced the world to the wealthy J. Gatsby and socialite Daisy Buchanan.

Fitting with his personal views on the era, RR Auction’s top selling Fitzgerald piece at $56,250 was a set of two handwritten letters to actress Ina Claire. Fitzgerald was fascinated by Claire after seeing her perform on stage, and she also attended one of the lavish parties Fitzgerald held at his Delaware estate. In these letters, Fitzgerald makes reference to the opulence of the jazz age, “A thousand Circassian girls and eunuchs will perform a march while we dine (at 6) upon bats wings and Chateau Yquem 1909.” His writings are characteristic of the critiques made in The Great Gatsby, so it’s no wonder this set of letters received a lot of attention.

RR Auction has also offered books signed by Fitzgerald himself, like this first edition hardcover of his final novel, Tender is the Night. Despite Gatsby being his most popular work today, Fitzgerald considered Tender is the Night to be his greatest work though it also received lukewarm reviews at the time. Fitzgerald’s signature can be found on the first free end page, and this lot came complete with its original dust jacket. Only 7,600 copies of this first printing were ever made, and signed copies of this variant are extremely difficult to come by.

With a reputation as famous as Gatsby’s, there has never been a better time to sell you Fitzgerald letters, autographs, and photographs. Reach out to one of our professionals today at 800-937-3880 or fill out our consignment form by clicking the button below.